


A Lost Cause

by Random_Fandom



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Amnesia, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-22 21:40:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9626720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Random_Fandom/pseuds/Random_Fandom
Summary: "No fucking idea. Do you remember anything?" Jason asked relaxing slightly, for some reason his body seemed to not identify the man as an imminent threat. It seemed best to trust the body that remembered instead of the mind that had forgotten.The stranger relaxed as well. "I think my name's Tim, that's about all I know."





	1. Chapter 1

The splitting headache was familiar as if his body remembered pain even when his mind didn't. He was alert before he had fully opened his eyes, body taut and awaiting danger, the moment he heard someone moving he rolled away from the noise, hands reaching for a gun and pointing it at the unknown person. He found himself staring at the far end of a bow staff. The man holding it looked just as defensive as Jason. His getup was strange, a black mask with a red costume. 

"Who the hell are you?" Jason growled suddenly aware of his own getup and mask.

"I could ask the same." said the man, although he seemed familiar Jason had no memory of anything other than his own name.

"Do we know each other?" The man asked tilting his head yet not relaxing from his position. 

"No fucking idea. Do you remember anything?" Jason asked relaxing slightly, for some reason his body seemed to not identify the man as an imminent threat. It seemed best to trust the body that remembered instead of the mind that had forgotten.

The stranger relaxed as well. "I think my name's Tim, that's about all I know." 

"Jason."

Tim surveyed the area, it was a cavernous room, underground and modified to act as a sort of holding cell.

Tim eyed Jason's guns with curiosity as he twirled his bow staff.  
"We appear to be armed and dangerous. I don't know about you but I'm busting out of here and finding answers." 

Jason didn't really see an alternative. "Yeah, alright, how do you plan to do that? Bust the bars with your stick?"

Tim moved forward assessing the cell door before cautiously pushing it forward. The door swung open without any resistance.

Tim glanced a Jason smug smirk evident. 

"Yeah, yeah, let's get the fuck out of here."

Jason stalked forward gun held loosely in his hand. He didn't let it show that he was bothered by how comfortable he felt holding the gun, he had no doubt that he had used it before, used it often. His glance slid to Tim, there was no doubting he was as deadly as the gun Jason was holding. 

Jason stopped at a door holding up a fist to indicate a stop. Again Jason had no idea how he knew this. Through a series of hand signals, Jason silently told Tim to open the door with his bow staff. Jason went in first, gun ready. It was almost immediately evident that whoever had put them in the cell was long gone. Abandoned monitors and chairs had collected a thin layer of dust.

Once Jason and Tim had done a sweep of the room Tim went to one of the computers. 

"We must be part of some sort of military," Tim said absently as he tried to turn on the computer. 

"The hand signals?" Jason stayed alert, eyeing the door. There was a possibility that they weren't the only one in this place.

"Yeah, if we were civilians we wouldn't know them. It's obvious we have extensive tactical training, probably by the same group if we know the same signals."

Jason considered this. "If we are military it's not any I've ever heard of. Who dresses up in red and yellow to go on covert operations."

Tim glanced at his costume. "Hmm and why a bow staff, good point." By some miracle, Tim managed to turn on the computers and monitors. "Huh, I think I might be a hacker," Tim said casually as his hands flew across the keyboard. "maybe you're supposed to be my bodyguard, that's why you have the guns." 

Jason glanced skeptically at Tim. "Whatever we are, let's get out of here before we find any nasty surprises."

Tim let out a hum of agreement. "This appears to be an abandoned factory of some kind, I think this is a map." Jason leaned over Tims' shoulder to look at the screen. "Alright, let's get the fuck out of here.

They're in the middle of a damn desert. Jason could see miles of arid wasteland.

"Well, this sucks," Tim said eyebrows raised as he surveyed the desert.  
Jason shot Tim a sour look. "No fucking kidding." With a sigh, Jason turned around to walk back inside. It had taken them half an hour of walking through endless corridors to reach the surface. 

Tim stayed outside, for the past half hour he had been discreetly investigating his suit. He had discovered a button, if he was correct it was likely an emergency signal of some sort. He wasn't sure how trustworthy "Jason" was. Glancing back at the closed doors he pressed the button.


	2. Chapter 2

Batman was always at his most terrifying when he's lost a child. No one can inflict terror the way a desperate parent can. For weeks the streets of Gotham had been silent in fear of the dark knight searching for his lost robins but no matter who he found and questioned Batman found no answers. It had been two months and hope was very quickly slipping away. 

Bruce stared at the monitors, everyone who could have possibly done this had been found and questioned. 

Fathers were never supposed to outlive their sons. 

"Bruce."

Dicks' voice was tentative, it had been a grim two months. Bruce turned Damian stood behind Dick watchful of his father. It seemed like this always happened, just when it seemed that things might be alright something inevitably dropped the family into turmoil. 

Jason had just been returning to the family fold, the anger between Damian and Tim had settled into a softer brotherly rivalry. Then they disappeared, one day here, one day gone. 

"Any news?" Bruce asked eying his eldest.

Dick shook his head. "Clark hasn't heard or seen anything, no one in the justice league reported anything suspicious."

"I see." Bruce turned back to the monitors, Oracle was calling.

"Batman, Red Robin just activated his emergency signal. I'm sending you the coordinates now."

Dick was already heading to the bat plane.

"Thank you, Oracle, keep us updated if the situation changes."

Oracle nodded "Be careful there's a good chance this could be a trap."

With a sharp nod, Bruce cut the connection.

Dick and Damian were already waiting for Bruce in the bat plane. For a moment he considered telling Damian to stay, one glance at Damian's stubborn expression he knew it was a lost cause. They didn't have time to squabble, he needed to find his lost children. 

\------------------

Something had happened to them that much was clear. Someone had decided to take a stroll through both their brains and rip out essential pieces. The worst was they didn't even know what they were missing.

How much of a person is memory? 

What have I forgotten? Tim wondered as he looked at his scars. His body was covered in them, layer on layer, old and new. 

After discovering the entrance they had wandered around the facility in search of supplies. If they had any chance of survival it would depend on finding enough food and water to last an unknown period of time. It had been a victory finding a storage room full of nonperishables and water.

Jason and Tim sat against a wall at the entrance each with a bottle of water and some granola.

Jason carefully took off his mask and jacket. 

Tim stared, Jasons' arms were scarred extensively, layer on layer. For a moment Tim wondered if they were the bad guys in this scenario. There was a reason they were here, dressed in this way, with blank memories. 

Jason inspected his arms then caught Tims gaze. He scowled sliding his leather jacket back on.

"At least I'm not the one in a ridiculous circus costume," Jason said staring pointedly at Tim. 

"No, because a full face mask just screams normal and trustworthy," Tim said before taking a sip of water. "Whoever we are we are not..." Tim grimaced.

"Normal?" Jason said. "Yeah, no shit." 

Tim shook his head and stood up. "I'm going to see if I can get the computers to do anything useful."

Jason stood following Tim.

"What," Tim said with a sly smile "don't you trust me?" 

Jason snorted. "About as much as you trust me."

\--

Jason had no idea who this little shit was but he was sure the kid was a damn genius. In less than an hour, he had somehow managed to hack the entire grid turning on the alarm system and the outside cameras. Although he couldn't get a signal to the outside, the network was completely isolated. Nevertheless, if someone approached the facility they would know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol can you tell how little I know about computers.


	3. Chapter 3

The plane landed in the middle of the desert. Dick eyed the entrance with a blend of fury and apprehension, his brothers were in there.

"The moment we approach we'll be spotted," Bruce said. "Stay here I'll go in and scope the situation. 

"But-"

Bruce was already halfway out. "Stay here." 

Bruce left leaving Dick and Damian behind. Dick waited only until Batman was out of sight before turning to Damian. 

"Guard the plane, don't follow us." 

He left just as quickly. 

Damian waited until Dick was out of sight then he followed.

 

\--

Jason was tragically unsurprised by the man in a bat costume. Waking up with no memory, a creepy abandoned facility, a strange costumed genius, why not add a man in a bat costume? At this point, it almost seemed natural. 

"What do you think he is?" Jason asked casually "Stange ally or strange enemy."

Tim grimaced "Whoever he is I'm not about to take any chances. We can question him just fine if he's tied down and unable to fight."

Jason took out his gun and checked the chamber. "Sounds like a plan." 

"No guns," Tim said sharply. "He could be our only way out of this place. He'll be of no use if you accidentally kill him."

Jason scowled but put his gun away.

"There's more of them." 

Jason looked back the monitors. A man in a blue costume was trying to sneak in. 

"Christ, who are these people? A paramilitary circus?"

Jason and Tim followed both men through the cameras, at an intersection the man in black took a left while the man in blue took a right. Tim smiled viciously "We can ambush this one here." He pointed at a narrow corridor the man in black would have to pass. "If we hurry you can get behind him and I can stop him from the front."

Jason nodded. "We can stash him here then go get the other one."

Tim stood, grabbing his bow staff. "Let's go."

\--

Someone was here, that much was obvious to Bruce. The disturbed dust and power being obvious signs. Who that was, however, was still unknown. In Bruces experience nothing good ever occurred in large, abandoned, facilities. 

Someone was coming from behind, Bruce kept walking, let the person think they had the upper hand. 

Bruce ducked as the person tried to tackle him, the person rolled back forcing Bruce to turn toward them.

Bruce saw the red mask but before he could say anything a blow from behind forced him to his knees.

The corridor was too narrow to dodge both at once. Bruce grabbed Jason's leg as he tried to kick Bruce's face, pulling he drove him to the ground. With a twist, he avoided a direct blow to the head from him but it landed painfully on his shoulder. Trying to get both attackers in front of him he grabbed the bow staff and pulled.

Tim was pulled to the other side of Bruce almost knocking down Jason but he was trained well, he immediately shifted and attacked once more. 

"Tim stop!" Bruce growled, he didn't want to expose his identity but it was obvious Tim either had no idea who he was or thought he was an imposter. Either way, this needed to stop.

"Who the hell are you," Tim asked bow staff poised. The corridor was too small for Tim and Jason to stand side by side but over Tim's shoulder, Bruce could see Jason's gun pointed at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw if anyone wants to edit this or and the future chapters, please TELL ME. I hate editing. Please point out any mistakes!! Constructive criticism always welcome!


	4. Chapter 4

\--

Dick sometimes wondered what life would be like without the weight of the cape. He never told anybody about this, he couldn't, these were not thoughts he could afford to speak out loud. Even privately he only let himself wonder for a short while. Then he pushed back the idea and smiled. That was what good older brothers did. That's what Dick did. You can take the boy out of the circus but you can't take the circus out of the boy. Every carnie worth a damn knows: the show must always go on, so smile because the audience is waiting.

\--

The facility was strange a cross between an abandoned factory and a madman's science lab. Rooms would be filled with perfectly normal storage only to be followed by tables full of chemicals and dried blood. Dick was oddly impressed, whatever madman they were now facing was at least very well equipped. Dick cautiously opened another door this one appeared to be a bedroom of some kind. After checking that nobody else was inside he started rifling through the room looking for anything suspicious. 

The bedroom was large but mostly empty a small bed was pushed into the corner with a large bookcase next to it. A desk sat in the opposite corner cluttered with notes and pencils. 

Dick checked the desk, most of the notes were unreadable, covered in a black ink-like substance. he looked for any hidden compartments but found nothing, he moved on to inspect the bookcase. It was mostly filled with medical text on the brain and genetics which made the single, shiny, Bible stand out. Dick took it and opened it, it was hollowed out to hide a small plain diary. Dick opened it to the first page and read.

 

Day 1:  
"I won't survive this I know that and yet I hope. That is the nature of humanity is it not? They kidnapped me from my home, I don't know what happened to my husband or my daughter, I hope they are safe."

Day 30:  
'They keep bringing people for me to experiment on, the poor bastards I can still hear them screaming in my sleep. They want me to erase them and implant new people, new ideas. To turn the good evil and the evil good. It's... groundbreaking science. I can see the progress, slowly the people that they bring to me change, they become saints or sinners depending on what I change. I am playing God and it is terrifying, I fear that I myself am slowly changing.

Day 75:  
I keep forgetting who I was before, before all this. It hasn't been that long yet I am losing myself. I can no longer remember my husband's face, why can't I remember. They're watching me I know they are watching me, perhaps they apply my own experiments on me. What is happening? What is happening to me?

 

Day 114:  
I have done it. I have become god. 

 

 

Dick was disturbed. Whatever had happened here it wasn't good. he heard light steps creep past the room. He put the book back, rushing towards the door, as the footsteps brushed past he jerked the door open and grabbed the person. He was immediately kicked in the stomach.

"Grayson it's me." Damian hissed. 

"Jesus, Damian I told you to wait on the plane." Dick rubbed the spot Damian had kicked exaggerating his pain.

Damian scowled "Father told you to stay on the plane."

Dick sighed but gestured at Damian. "Help me search, this place is creepy."


	5. Chapter 5

“An ally” Bruce growled . “You activated your emergency distress beacon.” 

Tim could feel Jason's glare trying to carve a hole into the back of his head. He ignored the twinge of guilt, he didn't know enough to trust anybody let alone strange, armed, men.

“How do we know you're not the one who stranded us here in the first place?”

Bruce suppressed a grimace. He didn't want to be here any longer eager to get his children home and assure himself of there safety but there was little he could do if they didn't trust him.

“You can’t but your other option would be to stay here and starve. Call it a calculated risk.”  
Bruce could almost see Tims mind analyze the situation, he was sure they had seen Nightwing and Robin and knew they would be outnumbered, there was little choice in the matter.

It was Jason who spoke first. “If you so much as twitch too quickly in our direction I won’t hesitate to shoot you.” 

It was the closest thing to a compromise Bruce would get. He gave a curt nod and turned around leading his children out of the maze of corridors.

\-- 

Dick wasn't surprised to see the monitors and cameras. When he analyzed the footage he saw Bruce followed by Tim and Jason. He felt something in his chest loosen. It had been a harrowing two months as each day slipped by without news he had begun to fear the worst. Batman had barely survived the death of one son Dick wasn't sure he would survive the death of two. Dick himself wasn't sure what he would have done if they hadn't found his brothers.

“Tt - It seems father has located those wayward fools.” Damian's words were forcibly aloof but his face gave away his relief. 

“Seems so Little D” Dick smiled wider than he had in months. “Let's go see our brothers.”


	6. Chapter 6

The tense silence was almost comical. Jason had his gun in hand and Tim’s every muscle was tense and ready to fight at the slightest hint of danger. Batman was in his usual state: silent, menacing and slightly melodramatic. 

Dick paid no attention to those signs as he burst into the bat plane it was only when he had to dodge Tims bo staff that he realized this wasn't the family reunion he was hoping for.

“Batman?” Dick eyed Jason's gun, in his attempt to dodge Tims bo staff he had ended in front of Jason with the gun pointed between his eyes.

Before Bruce could respond Damian's voice rang out “Todd! What do you think you're doing?”

Dick stepped back and just managed to catch Damian before he could attack Jason. 

“Who the hell are you?” Jason asked gun still pointed at Dick. During this Tim slid into a fighting stance closer to Jason, ready to fight his way out if he had to. 

“Damien that's enough.” Batman growled “They’ve been affected by some sort of amnesia. We need to get them back to the cave.”

“Huh.” Dick paid no attention to Batman as he started up the plane. He released Damian and rolled on the soles of his feet. This certainly wasn't the family reunion he had been hoping for. He smiled wide anyways. “Well, then I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Nightwing and this is Robin.” Dick waved his hands around Damian with a presenter flourish. 

Jason didn’t answer but he lowered his gun away from Nightwing. “How exactly do we know each other?” 

Dick twitched slightly. It felt strange not being recognized by his brother. Dick laughed and gestured towards their uniforms. “We’re part of the same Circus.” 

“Nightwing,” Bruce warned with a single word. Dick laughed again slightly more strained than before and dragged Robin to the seats. 

“Strap in,” Bruce said. There was a moment of hesitation before Jason and Tim complied. 

“Grayson, I-” 

“Wait until we get home little wing.” The Batman voice all Robins knew to obey seeped into Nightwing's voice. Dick was sure Damien would make his displeasure known sooner or later but for now, he was silent. 

The plane ride was silent.

\--

When the sun sets in Gotham and the light glints off the water and glittering skyscrapers it looks like Gotham is on fire. It’s beautiful, haunting, prophetic and alluring in the way only Gotham is and only Gothamites understand. 

When Jason first saw the city on fire he felt something settle in his chest. He recognized his home even if he did not remember. He saw the flames and thought of phoenixes rising and dying, over and over.

When Tim first saw the city on fire his hands itched for a camera. He thought of all the things fire does, the way it can consume you, the way it can nurture you. He wondered what type of fire this was.


	7. Chapter 7

As Bruce led his parade of robins out of the plane he suppressed a sigh and felt a familiar sense of resignation at the sight of Barbra, Cassandra, and Stephanie. He had expressly told them not to be in the Batcave but it seemed that one of the requirements to become part Bat was to be able to ignore the Batman Glare ™. 

“Finally,” Stephanie called out from where she stood. “And here we were beginning to think you got lost.” 

Bruce said nothing choosing to head towards Barbra and the computer, her fingers were flying across the keyboard.

“Status report,” Bruce said.

“I’ve managed to locate the facility but no information, the little I could find was buried in a series of redacted files and shell corporations. Someone didn't want this place found and went to extreme measures to keep it hidden. I’ve already reached out to our contacts there's not much to do but wait.” Barbara's fingers stopped for a moment. “Do they really not remember anything.”

“No. They don’t” Bruce said. 

“Of course, it couldn't have been easy for once.” Barbara shook her head. “So what’s the plan?”

\--

As Tim and Jason walked out of the plane what Cass saw made her rage against the injustice of it all. The wariness in Jason's gaze and the tenseness in Tims' shoulders told Cass all she needed to know. It had taken so long to bring her brothers back into the fold, to be back in a place where Jasons every movement betrayed his distrust was a thing too awful to put into words. Cass approached her brothers Tim and Jason stood together unconsciously protecting each other's blindsides. Dick saw Cass approach, he gave her a smile she did not like. It was something sad and tired trying to hide behind forced levity. 

She touched his arm. “We will fix this.” She didn't know how to convey to Dick that he didn't have to bear this burden alone. She looked at Tim and Jason who looked back with curiosity. 

“You are safe.” She said. Jason scoffed and though Tim said nothing it was evident he did not believe Cass. Cass nodded “You don’t believe me but we are family. Real family.” They were not convinced but Cass didn't mind, she knew it could be hard to trust words. They were her brothers and she would show them what they needed to see.


End file.
